Really Bad Theology

Acts 20:28
“Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood.”

I am a elder in my church and as such I stay really busy doing stuff for the church. It’s really a blessing to me and I love the saints there.  As a shepherd there I am jealous for them and am very protective of them. There are times I get slightly perturbed and there are other times I get well down right angry! Can you imagine me angry? God forbid that be true! Just recently I found myself in what I call a fiasco within the church as a national known teacher came in for a weekend of teaching. I am a really open minded person (no I really am) when it comes to these types of teachers but I still have real concerns about what is going to come out of their mouths especially from within the charismatic and the word of faith crowds. As I sat and listened to this teacher I found myself becoming more and more upset as this teacher spoke. I found myself wanting to grab my big shepherding staff and like Jesus clean Gods house out of these merchandisers and money exchangers. (Insert your loud A-MEN here) The fleecing of the sheep had begun. What do I mean by this? The head of the prosperity theology had raised its ugly head to gather the spoils from the flock. Damage was being done to the flock. I and the other elders were going to have to repair the damage done to the flock. I am responsible for the saints in my church and honestly I thought I had failed them. Seriously I felt guilty for letting them down in my role as a shepherd. I made a promise to myself I would never allow this to happen again not as long as I was in leadership. So if I may just for the next few minutes I’m going to give you some pointers on what to watch out for and how to vet someone who wants to speak at your church o.k.?

First look at their website. You can tell a lot just by examining a apostles/prophet/evangelist/teacher/pastors website or blog. Many times they will have a title which may or may not give you some information concerning the direction of their theology. Look at their core beliefs, their vision, their thoughts on money.

Second listen, watch or read their material as that will give you a good idea of the direction of their theology. Look at the titles of their materials. Do the titles suggest giving, tithing, prospering (this word is definitely a buzz word) and so on.

Third do they charge you to come and speak in your church? Things like airline tickets, food, lodging, rental cars before they agree to come? I believe a ministry that is truly called by God will depend on God as their source and not other peoples wallets. I am not against churches helping financially with speakers coming in but if the church cannot afford the cost then the speaker and the church believe together for the finances. If God’s in it then it will happen.

Fourth Have you looked at the material they will give to your flock? At the event I attended the teacher gave out material that contained false doctrine in it. This teacher used scripture to back up the claims on the prosperity doctrine being espoused. The scripture used had absolutely no relationship with the prosperity theology.

Fifth Have you vetted the speaker? Have you established a relationship with her/him? Have you quizzed her/him on their theology? Do they have a good working knowledge of the Bible using scripture in context?

Sixth Do they have a humble and contrite spirit? Will they take correction if they need it or are they arrogant unable to listen to others if they are in the wrong. Do they exhibit the fruit of the Holy Spirit? How is their love walk? Do they walk and live in the Holy Spirit? Are they bond slaves to Jesus Christ or do they have a superior attitude and think they are above everyone else?

I hope this helps you and causes you to think before you leap. Better to be cautious then losing sheep to the slaughter. One day you and I who are in leadership will answer for our conduct and how we shepherded the flock. I don’t know about you but I want Jesus to tell me “Well done my good and faithful servant!”

Jesus is Lord!

Lee

The Church… Part 1

Jesus Purpose for His Gifts

Our walk requires many different gifts in order for us to be a effective witnesses in the church and of the church. What does purpose mean? It is the reason why something is done in order to achieve success so that the goal is reached and victory assured. The gifts of Jesus direct the church to follow the righteous path of God sustaining it and giving it life to walk in the will of the Father. So what is the purpose of the church? The purpose of the church is to glorify Jesus Christ in all its actions lifting His name up above all names in all its functions and actions. The church is the salt and light of a world in complete darkness. This brings up a second question. What is the purpose of the church in a dark and dying world? Let me give you several purposes of the church and its role in the world today.

The church is to be light in darkness

Luke 11:36

“If then your whole body is full of light, having no part dark, the whole body will be full of light, as when the bright shining of a lamp gives you light.”

The church is to be light to those walking in darkness in this world. What is this light? The church is to function as a single mind with its eye as a lamp reflecting the person of Jesus Christ. This lamp shines the truth of Jesus Christ and His glory and power into darkness revealing what is sin into light. This action causes a great disturbance in the kingdom of (s)atan causing it to shake to its very foundations.

The light of the church brings forth signs and wonders

Acts 14:3

Therefore they stayed there a long time, speaking boldly in the Lord, who was bearing witness to the word of His grace, granting signs and wonders to be done by their hands.

The churches light reflects the Fathers will in that through this light the churches witness of the word of Jesus is shown through signs and wonders. The body itself will be as millions of lights walking in the will of the Father, speaking in the name of Jesus, and operating in the power of the Holy Spirit. The believers will walk as one ushering Gods last revival to a world that is dying unable to resurrect itself in its own power. It will be the true church multiplied millions of time over.

I will give more purposes of the church next month and then we will deal with the gifts of the Holy Spirit and the equipping ministries in Eph 4:11 and 12…

Hows Your Knowledge? Part 2

Ephesians 4:13

Till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.

In part two of this series I am going to dive into our responsibility of having knowledge of the Son of God. What is this knowledge we need to know concerning the Son of God. The word knowledge comes from the Greek word epignōsis pronounced eg-pig-naw-sus. It means to have precise and correct knowledge of God being able to discern and know whats of God and what is odd. The saints in the church need to understand and have the correct knowledge of Jesus. What is this knowledge that we are to have within us concerning Jesus? It is knowledge of who Jesus is and His function in our lives. One of His functions is being a shepherd to the church. The shepherd has responsibilities but so do we as His sheep.

1-We must be able to recognize Jesus’ voice when He speaks to us.

John 10:14

“I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own.”

Jesus is our Shepherd and as His sheep we have the capability to hear His voice and obey it. Jesus uses the word known which means to learn to know or gain a spiritual ear to the voice of Jesus. This starts with Gods word.

John 15:7

“If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.”

It is the idea of taking Gods word and taking it out of the logos (written word) and placing it into the rhema word or spirit word. The word abide means to dwell or maintain a place in the spirit of the believer. The more we allow the word to dwell in our spirits influencing our mindset the more we are able to understand the voice of Jesus within our spirit. Why? Because His word will never contradict the logos word. Our desires are His desires which is the will of the Father. Any voice that is contrary to Jesus’ written word is a false Jesus and is (s)atanic in its nature.

2-In order to understand Jesus we must understand who He is and His role in our lives. He is our shepherd. What are some of the traits of Jesus as our shepherd?

First He has a personal relationship with His sheep and knows each by name.

John 10:2, 3

“But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.”

Jesus knows who you are and has a deep seated interest in you. He invested His life in you on the cross. He calls you by name! The word call means to invite or to summon someone for something. Jesus calls you and leads you in the Fathers will. We have to learn to listen to Jesus’ voice in order to fulfill the will of the Father, think with the mindset of Jesus, and operate in the power of the Holy Spirit. We have to have this knowledge of Him in order to move as He moves from pasture to pasture or each step in the plan the Father has laid out to us.

Second He is the door that allows us to run into safe pastures in times of trouble. Jesus is our protector.

John 10:7

Then Jesus said to them again, “Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep.

The door is a opening where a sheep can enter into the kingdom of God. When one accepts Jesus as Savior and Lord he/she can enter into the kingdom which is a safe place for the sheep. In our knowledge of Him we understand that the kingdom of God is where we are to dwell as it is in the supernatural. We are to dwell in the supernatural kingdom of God at all times maintaining constant fellowship with the shepherd.

Third Jesus acknowledges that His sheep are so important that He willingly gave up His life for the sheep.

John 10:11

“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.”

Our knowledge of Jesus must include that He gave up His life for us so that we could enter into the kingdom of God which is our pasture our haven so to speak. The kingdom of God allows us to hear and obey the shepherds voice so that we can avoid the snares, schemes and devices of (s)atan both corporately and individually. We must have a intimate knowledge of Jesus in order to live in the will of the Father. One of the problems I see in the church today is a lack fellowship between the Shepherd and the collective sheep (the church). Many parts of the body of Jesus Christ are comatose or being destroyed by (s)atan because of their straying from the good shepherd Jesus. They escaped from the supernatural pastures and walk in the natural unable to hear the voice of Jesus. The (a)atanic wolves single out and attack the natural church and it becomes corrupt developing spiritual dementia to who they are in Jesus Christ. This should not be so. We need to encourage the church to get back to the perfect knowledge of Jesus Christ leaving the natural carnal pastures and return to the supernatural pastures of the good Shepherd Jesus. Where do you stand?

Part 3 next month!

Jesus is Lord!

Lee

Outside Your Comfort Zone

Ephesians 4:13

Till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ

Did you know that ministry does not end on Sunday morning at 12 noon with a closing prayer? I must say that many in the body of Jesus Christ have this idea that once the Sunday morning church service is over so ends their ministry for the week. In their eyes ministry becomes the responsibility of the pastor of the church leaving them free to walk in the natural man. I gotta tell you frankly this stinking thinking has caused the church to become a thing of the past not relevant in today’s culture. Nita and I have been in many churches over the years ranging from pentecostal, charismatic, and evangelical. What do all these parts of the body of Jesus Christ have in common? The inability to function outside the walls of a church building ministering to a dying world. Why? What could possibly cause the church in America regardless of their cultural background to stagnate and become comatose to the needs of the community around them? Ephesians 4:13 gives us a clue so let me give you the first of three area’s we, as the church of Jesus Christ, need to embrace and walk in in order to shake apart the kingdom of (s)atan and dramatically change the atmosphere of the church in America. Now I must say not every church is comatose and not every church stays in its four walls. I know of churches who are very active in the community and I tip my hat to them praising God for their obedience to Jesus Christ. However we must wake up the rest of the church so that they will become relevant in today’s society.

First of all we are to be unified in the faith of Jesus Christ.

The church in America has been at odds within itself for many years. The apostleship and Lordship of Jesus Christ has taken a backseat because of our lack of cooperation and love within the body. There are several reasons for this.

Denominations!

Never has the church been divided as it is today because of man made walls put up to separate us from each other preventing us from being in the unity of Jesus Christ. Jesus never intended for His church to be divided this way and yet (s)atan put up spiritual walls through Gods saints to put us in disagreement.

Racism!

Well now this is a taboo subject in many churches and extends across the rainbow of cultures we have here in America. While it is true (s)atan uses the race card to divide the church we as saints allow it to happen because we listen to the lies of (s)atan. We put up spiritual walls! Why? Let me name you some reasons as to why.

Fear because of the color of one’s skin!

I grew up during the civil rights movement in the 60’s. My dad was involved in the civil rights movement and was one of the pioneers of blending the church with color. The biggest opponent to this idea of the church being multicultural was the church itself! There was fear between the races. There was a deep distrust that could only be removed through prayer and fasting within the church. Where did this fear come from? It came from (s)atans kingdom. Fear is the opposite of love and without the agape love of Jesus the church remains fractured.

Gal 3:28

There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

Doctrines!

Because of our differences in doctrine we remain fragmented. We have allowed ourselves to place doctrine and dogma ahead of the apostleship and lordship of Jesus Christ. We point fingers at each other and allow a certain few to divide us according to their interpretation of Gods word. We follow them instead of the Holy Spirit who is our teacher.

John 14:26

“But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.”

We divide ourselves into doctrinal camps causing mistrust within the church. We ignore the Holy Spirit who is the teacher of the church and who rightly divides the truth and is able to place us in the perfect will of the Father in the name of Jesus.

1st Cor 1:11 – 13

For it has been declared to me concerning you, my brethren, by those of Chloe’s household, that there are contentions among you. Now I say this, that each of you says, “I am of Paul,” or “I am of Apollos,” or “I am of Cephas,” or “I am of Christ”. Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?

Unforgiveness!

Unforgiveness is particular divisive between the black and white churches. There is a spiritual war being waged between the two parts of the body of Jesus Christ. The sad part about this is this unforgiveness is being perpetrated and exploited by (s)atan himself in order to prevent the church from unifying. He realizes that if the black and white church unites his kingdom will be severely damaged.

Ephesians 4:32

And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.

We are called to be a unified church in the faith of Jesus Christ. There is to be agreement between us walking in the agape love of Jesus Christ. Schisms are a affront to Jesus and we should know better. Question is who will be the first one to step out and reach out across church lines and embrace those who are different then you? Think about it….

Part 2 next month!

Jesus is Lord!

Lee

If I can you can!

Mark 16:17, 18

“And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues “they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”

In the last few months I’ve seen the Holy Spirit move in new and different ways. He is getting more aggressive with the gospel of Jesus Christ followed by signs and wonders. I want to share with you some of the experiences I’ve had in the last few weeks.

The Holy Spirit has really been active in my spirit with what He wants in my ministry particularly in laying hands on the sick. I have found that the gifts of the Holy Spirit are very active within me including the gifts of knowledge, wisdom, prophecy, discernment, and healing. The glory of Jesus has fallen on me again and again and again. As I am moving about in the market place the Holy Spirit points people out to me that need healing or a word from Him. Unusual signs are manifesting as well which if I were to speak of around most Christians they would think I have been overdosing on ibuprofen. So I thought I would share some of these experiences with you with the hope that you will get excited and allow the Holy Spirit to use you in the same way He is using me.

Last night Nita made a cake and she called me in there because of what happened to the cake. There was gold glitter all over the top of it when she pulled it out of the oven! Now this was just a plain Duncan Hinds chocolate cake but the Holy Spirit had some fun with us. He does have a sense of humor.

Nita and I eat at a certain McDonald’s on many Sundays and recently I went to the drink fountain for some more unsweet tea. A employee was standing there and I asked him how he was doing. He told me He was in pain because of a arthritic right knee. I asked him could I pray for him and he consented. I placed a hand on his right knee and released the glory of Jesus into it. I rebuked the condition in it and he started to feel the power of the Holy Spirit surging through his leg. I told him to bend his knee back and forth and he started saying “I feel no pain, I feel no pain!” Jesus healed him right there and Gods glory was heavy there.

I was eating in Chilli’s recently when the server came up and the Holy Spirit had a word of knowledge for her. I spoke to her about her future and what God had in store for her. For her plans were not the Fathers plans. She was very surprised about what Jesus had in store for her.

Nita and I were sitting at Chilli’s one night (my favorite restaurant as you can tell) with some friends and as we ministered to them gold dust started falling on them. As we left the restaurant we started praying for them outside and the glory of Jesus fell on them. Words of knowledge were spoken over them.

I went to the garbage dump and while I was there the Holy Spirit spoke to me to go and minister to the two employee’s there. As we talked I looked at one and asked him if he was having physical problems. He finally admitted he has a inflamed tendon in his neck. I prayed for him releasing the glory of Jesus into his body and Jesus healed his neck. He had no pain and he could rotate his neck without any stiffness in it.

I was at planet Fitness when a man walked past me and the Holy Spirit spoke to me to go and talk with him. I introduced myself to him and that I was there because the Holy Spirit wanted to magnify Jesus through his healing. I prayed for his healing and spoke a word of knowledge to him concerning the future of his ministry.

I could go on but I want you to see that if Jesus can use me He can certainly use you. All you have to do is obey Him. Its easy and its simple just speak to the sickness in the name of Jesus rebuking it believing He will do it. Watch the supernatural become the natural in your life. Until next month remember Jesus is Lord!

Lee

The champagne and Caviar Gospel…

Over the last few years I have seen many in the body of Jesus Christ taken advantage of by what I call the super apostles and super prophets of our generation. These are men and women who feed the sheep a gospel not recognized in the bible by the saints who’s roots are deep in the word of God. They have a understanding of the true discernment of God and see this gospel for what it is with it being evil and (s)atanic in its very nature. I call it the champagne and caviar gospel because those who endorse it use it to their advantage fleecing the flock with the promise of great returns both in the spiritual realm and the physical realm. I want to give you some warning signs of what to look for when you’re moving about in the body of Jesus Christ and you see these super saints preaching their false gospel to the flock. 

The super apostle/prophet will invite the saints to invest into their ministry challenging the saints to believe God to multiply their sacrificial tithe or offering 30, 60, or 90 times what they invested.

They use Malachi 3:10 as their enticement which reads

“Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, That there may be food in My house, And try Me now in this, Says the LORD of hosts, If I will not open for you the windows of heaven And pour out for you such blessing That there will not be room enough to receive it.”       

If ever there has been a misinterpretation of scripture this is it. The true context of this verse is referring to the Levi’s and their position within the state of Israel as its high priests who depend on the other tribes of Israel for their support as they minister before Yaweh. Yaweh is speaking to the tribes of Israel concerning their lack of support for the Levi’s. This scripture has been taken by many within the body of Jesus Christ and used for personal gain and fortune. The super saints will challenge the flock with the results being a hyper faith spreading through the body made on false promises. It is the little lambs or babes in Jesus Christ who are swept up in this hyper faith giving causing great harm in their spiritual lives. Many of these lambs will even consider these super apostles and prophets their personal pastors and loose all that they have financially in order to please their pastors.

The super apostles and prophets will become bigger than life to the sheep taking the place of Jesus on the throne placing themselves in His place.

Jeremiah 10:8

But they are altogether dull-hearted and foolish; A wooden idol is a worthless doctrine.

It is sad to say but these super apostles and prophets become the focus of these lambs. These lambs become so enthralled with the charisma oozing from these men and women they take their eyes off Jesus Christ and place all their faith, hope, even their lives into the hands of these wolves in sheep’s clothing. It is when the lambs talk of the greatness and spirituality of those they have embraced moving Jesus to one side you should be very concerned about their spiritual health. The false apostle or prophet becomes their doctrine replacing Gods word as their source of holiness and righteousness.

The super apostles and prophets entice the lambs out of the real church and into their spheres of influence placing them into spiritual bondage and into false doctrines.

1^st Timothy 4:1

“Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons.”

The lambs believe in false doctrines that promote the leadership in the false movement they are in. It is a spiritual Amway so to speak. The leadership teaches doctrines that are demonically inspired teaching a false gospel that has a great influence on those who desire what the leadership has materially and spiritually. This doctrine tickles their ears and they take what is taught to them and it becomes their spiritual root system. They develop a hyper faith that comes from hearing this false gospel and declare it to others. The sad thing about this is they still are spiritually and materially bankrupt and yet they will still deny it. I have seen this happen again and again. I know of one family who lost their house because they gave all they had to a church who espoused these false doctrines. This should not be so saints! When you hear other saints using the word of God declaring they walk in health and wealth then red flags should go up in your spirit.

The super apostles and prophets might use paganistic practices to bring power behind the principles they endorse

Many of those who preach and teach the champagne and caviar gospel use new age practices and many do not even realize it. One pagan practice that stands out is a “shamanistic influence” which is paying a shaman money in order to receive healings and material wealth. A shaman is one who has access to the spirit world and becomes a channel for spirits to manifest themselves in the natural from the supernatural. The champagne and caviar gospel reflects this paganistic doctrine in that the lambs pay tithes and offerings to the leadership in order to receive healings and material wealth in return. I am not saying these super apostles and prophets conjure up (s)atanic spirits but they can open themselves up to this type of activity.

Romans 1:18 – 23

“For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools”

The wise saint will understand certain speech patterns of those who proclaim the prosperity gospel and have the gifts of discernment, knowledge and wisdom in operation. The apostate teachings of these false apostles and prophets must be brought to the light of Jesus Christ exposing them for what they are. They are espousing doctrines of demons with the purpose of lifting up themselves and their selfish passions using the church as their source of income. The leadership of the true church should guard the sheep protecting them from these wolves at any cost. To neglect the sheep allowing them to stray into the wilderness and darkness these wolves wait in? Then I say shame on those who allowed it and repent of their lack of concern for the sheep.

Jesus is Lord!

Lee

Praying Gods Way…..

1^st Corinthians 14:15

What is the conclusion then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will also pray with the understanding. I will sing with the spirit, and I will also sing with the understanding.

I am beginning a new series of teachings on praying in the Holy Spirit. Many in the church seem oblivious to knowing how to pray and thus I see a hodge podge of generalized prayer by many slinging prayers out to see what sticks to the kingdom of God. A couple of years ago I spent a year teaching on the Lords prayer to a group within the church I attended. I noticed many times they had that “deer in the headlight”look. Eventually I ended up teaching about prayer in a very basic format because of the level of understanding I saw in them. I must confess to you this really bothered me as many of them were older than I was and yet they were still babes in Jesus Christ. Please understand I have not arrived yet myself. There are many area’s of Gods word I am still growing up in but many in the church body were not even attempting to mature in the word of God and it showed in their thinking and behavior.

Hebrews 5:12

For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food.

Many in the church who do not advance into the meat of the word will regress and become as infants again in prayer and in the word of God constantly having to be spoon fed the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is my opinion that many of those in the church who never matured in the word and in prayer will fall away in times of persecution. Their root systems will be shallow unable to withstand (s)atans onslaught. I think it is vital that we put down deep in spiritual soil a mature word life and a mature prayer life having a focus on Jesus Christ and the vision, the call, and the purpose the Father has called us into in the power of the Holy spirit. I want to go through some basic prayer points that every believer needs to understand. These prayer points are the foundation of understanding the mechanics of prayer so that you can function in prayer.

Point 1

Prayer is a conversation between you and God

Everybody finds themselves in conversations throughout their day. Whether your at home, at the office, or just hanging with friends you are constantly exchanging communication with them taking in and giving out information. It is the same with you and God. You literally have a conversation with Him exchanging information back and forth in your spirit. It is simple and all it requires is for you to listen when He speaks to you. Sometimes it comes through your spirit as a rhema word or His communication comes through His written word or the logos word. It is a growing process that requires practice on your part. The Lord is looking for fellowship with you. He wants you to get to know Him learning His ways and know His will.

Point 2

Prayer is communicating with God so that you can learn His will.

God has a will and He wants you to know His will at all times. One of the most frustrating things I see in the church today is the expression coming out of the mouths of many saints is “If it is your will Father!” Listen believers God has a will!

Matthew 6:10

Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven.

God has already established His will in His heavenly realm. He knows what He has designed for you and is waiting for you to withdrawal it from His Kingdom in the supernatural into the natural. We know parts of His will already. Things such as seeking His kingdom and His righteousness, praying for the sick, Evangelizing the fields of white, casting out demons, operating in His spiritual gifts, disciplining the spiritual babies and so much more. When you do not know His will that’s when you ask Him to move His will out of His kingdom and into your spirit so that it will manifest itself in the natural so that you will know His will. To pray if it is your will is to pray in doubt and in the natural man.

Point 3

Prayer is the act of getting to know God and understand His ways and the way He thinks.

Gods ways are higher than our ways and His thoughts are higher than your thoughts. We cannot understand His ways and His thoughts in the natural man. We can start to understand them as we move into the supernatural kingdom seeking Him in His kingdom and His righteousness.

Isaiah 55:9

“For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.”

We cannot understand Gods ways in our natural state so we have to seek Him in the supernatural in order to understand Him. Many Christians refuse to take this leap of faith into a supernatural prayer life because they fear the unknown. Many think it is (s)atanic to venture beyond their understanding in the natural. When this happens (s)atan has won the battle because the believer walks in a state of fear about anything beyond his natural control. This fear of the unknown comes from the (s)atanic realm. I see this fear quite often in the evangelical churches

Point 4

Prayer builds up our faith and deepens our belief system in Jesus Christ.

Prayer with God allows us to deepen our belief system in Jesus Christ as we see the supernatural manifest in the natural. The more we expand in our belief of Gods power showing itself through us into the natural the deeper our root system goes in Jesus Christ.

Romans 10:17

So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Our faith increases as we listen to Gods word speaking it to ourselves and others. When we pray God starts placing into our spirits the seeds of His word that will expand our faith. That planted seed will increase our faith in order for His will in the name of Jesus and in the power of the Holy Spirit to explode in the natural. This power changes the natural to look like the supernatural kingdom of God. The deeper you go in your prayer life the more your faith expands as God reveals His will to you.

Next month I will address the two different types of prayer and how they function within us. Have a great January!

Jesus is Lord!

Lee

The Scene Behind the Scene

Genesis 16:15

So Hagar bore Abram a son; and Abram named his son, whom Hagar bore, Ishmael.

In the aftermath of the massacre at a center for people with developmental disabilities in San Bernardino, California where fourteen people were killed and seventeen hurt the big question that is asked is why? Why would two individuals take it upon themselves and walk into a place meant to help people and begin shooting the innocent? What could possibly be the motive behind this tragic waste of life? In order to understand the reasoning behind this you must understand the animosity between Ishmael and Issac. Ishmael was born to Hagar a servant to Sarai who was Abraham’s wife. Now I will not go into all of the covenant God established with Abraham but suffice to say Ishmael was not a part of Gods plan for Abraham. Ishmael was a son born out of covenant with Hagar with Sara’s consent and as a matter of fact she insisted that Abraham sleep with Hagar. Why? Because she knew Abraham wanted a son and that Abraham wanted to continue his linage. Abraham chose to help God with Gods plans for him by moving in the natural ahead of Gods will in the supernatural. This line of thinking would produce animosity between Sarai and Hagar beginning a feud that would continue down both Ishmael’s and Issac’s line to this day. We know these two lines as the gentiles and the Jews. Yes I know I have over simplified the conflict between the two families but I believe you get the general idea where this is going. Now Ishmael’s line includes the Arab nations who surround the state of Israel who of course is Jewish. Within in this hodge podge of Arab nations we see many splinter groups including Isis, the Muslim brotherhood,  al-Qaeda, Al-Shabaab, Boko Haram, and the Taliban bathed in radical Islam who are determined to destroy Israel and its Jewish population. Many in Ishmaels line become radicalized whether through personal ideology or through attending radical mosques here in America or in the middle east. These men and women become radical Islamic extremists hell bent on destroying Israel and those who are not of the Islamic faith. The gunmen in this incident were Syed Farook and Tashfeen Malik who were married both Islamic radical terrorists of Arab descent from Ishmael’s line. Their goal? Apparently to take out the infidels and any Jews inside the center without any regards to their own lives. The ending was tragic but there are lessons we, as the church, can grasp if we open up our spiritual eyes. what are some of these lessons?

1-Nothing happens in the natural that is not birthed in the supernatural!

John 10:10

“The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”

This tragedy was not born in the natural minds of man but it was born in the supernatural by the twisted mind of (s)atan himself to destroy Gods creation in the natural. My question is if the church had been walking in the supernatural and able to see in the supernatural could we not have prayed against this plan stopping it before it ever began? I include myself in this as I was just as guilty of not hearing the Holy Spirit.

2-The war going on between the kingdom of God and the kingdom of (s)atan in the supernatural always manifests itself in the natural.

Galatians 5:17

For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish

What goes on in the supernatural whether it is of God or of (s)atan will always show its fruit in the natural good or bad. (Galatians 5:19 – 25) In this incident (s)atans scheme birthed in the supernatural showed its fruit in the natural causing great destruction in the natural. In other words (s)atans will in the supernatural was fulfilled in the natural. My question is if the church had sentries on the wall would we have seen this plot in the making and sought the Fathers will to raise up a wall of grace against it?

3-The end conclusion of any conflict in the supernatural will manifest itself in the natural for all to see either glorifying Jesus Christ or glorifying (s)atan.

Romans 8:37 – 39

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

The shooting in San Bernardino, California allowed the whole world to see the end result of (s)atans mindset. Whether one believed in the supernatural or not deep down everyone knew this evil had to come from somewhere. I must admit this was not the churches finest hour as we try and put a band-aid on after the wound was opened instead of preventing it from happening in the first place. The good news is we are more than conquerors in Jesus Christ IF we allow the Holy Spirit to teach us how to walk in His Spirit. This life in the Holy Spirit is a love walk allowing us to be open to the Fathers will, the mind of Jesus Christ, and the power of the Holy Spirit. It requires of us a rich prayer life, a rich word life, and a good grasp of spiritual warfare while walking in the Holy Spirit. Yes war will continue between Ishmael and Issac and yes there will be more violence if (s)atan has his way but why allow him free reign when we as the church can use the sword of the Holy Spirit and win against him in the name of Jesus?

Think about it!

Jesus is Lord!

Lee

Laziness Within the Church…..

Mark 9:37, 38

Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. “Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.”

In my 50 plus years in the church body I have seldom seen the organized church on fire to spread the gospel outside the four walls of the building they call the church. The ones I was in that had that Holy Spirit fire in their souls demolished the kingdom of (s)atan everywhere they went in power evangelism. The question is why do many churches lack the Holy Spirits fire to bring lost souls into the body of Jesus Christ? Why the lack of discipleship? Why the lack of signs and wonders? Why the lack of commitment to Jesus Christ?

-Spiritual laziness within the body!

What does that mean? The church has no corporate prayer life lacking the ability to resist (s)atan in the supernatural. The church does not have any desire to move in the Holy Spirit and further the kingdom of God. They like where they are at spiritually. They live inside the four walls of a building neglecting the vision, call, and purpose God has called them to. 

-The church does not like change!

Anything that is out of the ordinary within the church causing discomfort within the church is unacceptable. The church has certain ways things are done and any deviation from that norm is abnormal to them. Reaching out to the communities around them is very uncomfortable and thus out of the question for them.

-The leadership is not relationally balanced!

They have a mentality of “You and me and nobody else.” It is damaging to the body because the body follows the example of the leadership. The church turns inward with no desire for outreach. Anybody new that comes into the fellowship is eventually ran off for whatever reasons. It can even become cultish if it continues on this destructive path.

-The church has a form of godliness but no power within!

The church might have two or three outreaches a year with the majority taking place on the campus of the church. The very idea of leaving their comfort zone and going into the unknown produces anxiety and fear within the body. They want complete control of the situation taking it out of the Holy Spirits hands and placing it in their own hands. They use man made programs instead of seeking the will of the Father in the name of Jesus by the power of the Holy Spirit.

-The leadership believes that signs and wonders, the spiritual gifts, and the equipping ministries of the apostle and prophet have ceased to function in the present day!

I see this all the time in the church today. The leadership refuses to allow the Holy Spirit to lead the church in the image of Jesus Christ, His gifts, and His ministries. They pick and choose their theology based on their seminary training, their personal belief systems, what other leadership they follow espouses, ignoring the promptings of the Holy Spirit and His will for the church. The church body suffers defeat because the leadership leads in defeat always functioning in the natural instead of the supernatural. They place God in a theological box that fits their boundaries and they will not go beyond those boundaries. I have watched believers wither on the vine because the church leadership failed to walk in the power of the Holy Spirit, signs and wonders, the spiritual gifts, and all of the equipping ministries established by Jesus in Eph 4:11, 12.

-Discipleship is dependent on the leadership and not recognized by the fellowship of the church as a part of their function.

The church itself has no interest in discipling others as they are of the opinion it is the leaderships responsibility and not their own. More than once I have seen the believers of the church refuse to obey the Holy Spirit with the idea that “we pay the leadership to disciple the new converts after all that is their job.”

-The idea of the church sending out workers to harvest the fields of white many times is neglected because they have replaced Jesus Christ with idol worship!

They become inward focused placing the leadership, programs, church buildings, money i.e. tithing, prestige in the community, anything that takes the churches focus off of Jesus Christ diverting it onto itself, the world system and (s)atan himself.

The saints have to wake up and smell the proverbial roses and stop the “business as usual” routine igniting the fire the Holy Spirit has for them. Either the church seeks the will of the Father, the name of Jesus, and the power of the Holy Spirit or it lies down and becomes comatose never to be a effective instrument for God. If indeed that happens then the kingdom of (s)atan wins and the kingdom of God trampled underfoot.

Until next month!

Jesus is Lord!

Lee

Spiritual Warfare….not the WWE (Part 2)

Last month I shared with you our adventures in a church we were in for eight years. I shared with you some traits of a church we came out of functioning in a abnormal state of being. This month I am going to add some things that I think are relevant within the church today but missing in the evangelical church. So buckle up and hang on!

God has a will and “If it be your will” is not a part of Gods will.

Matthew 6:9, 10

Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come.
Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

Our Father in heaven always has a will and it is out job to find our what His will is in every situation and circumstance we find ourselves in. Nita and I heard “If it be your will” more times then we could imagine. Matthew 6:9, 10 gives us a absolute fact the Fathers will has already been established in His kingdom. It is our job to bring it into the natural from the supernatural by seeking Him in our prayer closet. Let me give you some classic lines I have heard in regards to this.

-Heal this person “if it be your will.” (this one really bothers me)

-Save this person “if it be your will.”

-Send us revival “if it be your will.”

-Provide this person with finances “if it be your will.”

I think you get my point. Once the church gets this into their mindset it is tough getting it out unless God supernaturally changes the natural in front of these believers. The church has already declared defeat before the battle ever began.

Well this is how my great grandma did it so I’m not gonna change it!

Have you ever heard this come out of someone’s mouth? I have! The fact is traditions and rituals are a part of many evangelical churches and nothing I mean nothing will change this line of thought.

Gal 1:14

And I advanced in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries in my own nation, being more exceedingly zealous for the traditions of my fathers.

Paul speaks of the man made traditions that were handed down to him from his father, his fathers father and so on. He honored these traditions and in fact these traditions were a part of why he persecuted the church. Paul was zealous to honor those traditions and Judaism regardless of the cost. I can’t begin to tell you how many times the saints spoke against anything new in the church because it took them out of their comfort zone and away from established traditions.

John 8:36

“Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.”

Why place yourself in bondage when you have been set free from man made traditions to obey Jesus and His plan for your life. To be free is to have liberty in Jesus Christ without the shackles of the carnal mindset dragging you down!

We believe that the apostle and prophet are no longer relevant for today. They ended when the original apostles and prophets died.

Again the believer is placing his theology in a box that fits his belief system.

Eph 4:11, 12

And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ.

If God never changes and I think we all agree He doesn’t then why would His word change? I watched as believers picked what their belief system was according to the doctrine that was taught by man and not necessarily the Holy Spirit. The church allowed only the pastor, the evangelist, and the teacher within the four walls they called a church and nothing else. This type of doctrine encourages abnormalities within the church body not allowing vision, call, and purpose to be fully integrated into the church by the Holy Spirit.

Spiritual warfare? Whats spiritual warfare? 

The church did not understand spiritual warfare nor did they make a effort to understand it.

2nd Cor 2:11

lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices.

We watched as believer after believer died because of the lack of understanding of things going on in the supernatural. The disease of choice was and is cancer today in this church.  It was unfortunate that the eldership did not comprehend the tactics and devices of (s)atan. I must share with you that there was a principality sitting over the churches sanctuary and it was very powerful. It is still there to this today and it is very comfortable there as the church refuses to acknowledge it and I was forbidden to talk about it. This is a defeated church and I weep over the believers there.

It is very important that the church stay in its corporate prayer closet and seek the will of the Father in the name of Jesus and by the power of the Holy Spirit. A church denying itself of a corporate prayer closet is frankly a dead church or soon to be a dead church. A fellowship not operating consistently in the supernatural but only acting in the natural is a defeated church in a comatose state. So my question to you is what state is your church in? Is it active and flourishing praying the will of the Father moving in signs and wonders? Or is it defeated, stagnant, in a comatose state on the verge of spiritual death? Think about it!

Until next month…

Lee